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Ozone advances to UPA 2001 Semi-Finals

Atlanta Women on the Way to Worlds

 

Accepting the Challenge

The process of organizing and working as a club team can be a challenging one, a challenge only increased by a lack of continuity. In the fall of 2001, Ozone once again faced that challenge as we approached the season with 10 new faces on the team. But, the goal for the season was high—one of the four guaranteed spots to the WFDF World Championships in Hawaii—and we were ready for the fight

 

In the Beginning

Our warm-up tournaments for the season were to be the Emerald City Classic in Seattle, Chicago’s annual Tune-Up tournament, and an appearance in the Open Division of the Shawn Adams Memorial Tournament in Chattanooga. Seattle’s ECC, the first of the bunch, was the site of a winless performance for our team the previous year. As it turns out, the tournament was also the first, and easiest, in a season long pattern of difficult conditions. A moderate wind was present throughout most of the games. We finished the tournament with a semifinals victory over Portland’s Schwa, but a loss in the finals to hometown Riot. Even so, it was a promising start to the season. 

 

We followed up ECC with a semi-finals appearance at Tune-Up, once again amid deplorable conditions, but continuing our good start to the season.  From Illinois we moved south to Chattanooga where a steady rain all weekend only increased the challenge of the play.  But, the challenges of the start of the season only build strength of the end of it.

With our warm-up tournaments over, it was time for the UPA Fall Series. Ozone continued our successful fall with victories at Sectionals and Regionals.

Nationals
As we arrived at the fields for our first game at Nationals we were once again greeted with a strong and steady wind. It looked like yet another weekend of upwind/downwind ultimate. After a slightly rough start to the first game, we finished Thursday with one loss, but a result that would carry over to the next round.

Our first game Friday pitted us against Godiva and we fought hard, but could not best them. Our second game of the day was another upwind/downwind battle against the Lady Condors, but this one a must-win affair. We came out hard and determined and built a comfortable, but not overwhelming, lead. We had lost leads on a number of occasions throughout the season and we were taking nothing for granted. The focus paid off and we held on to win.  Our draw in the quarterfinals would be none other than Schwa. Rather than being disappointed to be facing such a tough opponent, we were excited at the challenge. We’d played them twice in the season already and split victories. We knew we could win, but it wouldn’t be easy.

Tough Match up
The relentless wind kept on into Saturday, strong enough that the flip of the disc might be enough to decide the game, a flip in which Schwa won. Starting downwind, they had immediate advantage. As expected, the game was tight throughout. The two teams traded points, both upwind and downwind and the outcome of the game was always in question. The battle wore on all the way into the cap and all of a sudden we were faced with 15-15, game to 16. Game point for both teams and we were pulling upwind. Schwa received the disc and tried for an almost immediate shot to the endzone. The wind caught the disc and it sailed out the back. We were given our shot and we took it. We worked the disc all the way up the field and took the first available shot for the endzone. Score. Game over. We had won.

 

Denouement

We unfortunately could not carry our success on through our semifinals match up with Godiva, but even that loss could not dampen our excitement. A semifinals appearance at Nationals and a spot for Worlds is a pretty good season indeed.

Ozone - 2001 UPA Championships Semi-Finalists

  Standing L-R: Miranda Roth, Natalie Jansen, Kjirsten Ogburn, Mara Lindsley-Smith, Rachel Scales, Shan Cammack, Eileen Murray, Kellie Diehl, Annie Perry, Lauren Rapp, Lori Nacius, Susan Goode

Seated L-R: Tanya Lopez, Jessica Ogburn, Evelyn Bickley, Kat Kidd-Shippey, Jen Smith, Dot Payne, Angela Lin, Holly Sommers, Lisa Kotora

 

 

 

 

 
Feb '02 Articles
Romey's Ramblins
Winter League
Spring League
Public Relations
Holly's Vision
Goaltimate
Ozone
Gridlock
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"The process of organizing and working as a club team can be a challenging one..."
.
 
"ECC was the first, and easiest, in a season long pattern of difficult conditions."
.
 
."In quarters, all of a sudden we were faced with 15-15, game to 16. Game point for both teams and we were pulling upwind.

 

"After their disc sailed out the back of the endzone, we worked the disc all the way up the field and took the first available shot for the endzone. Score. Game over. We had won"
 
 
"A semifinals appearance at Nationals and a spot for Worlds is a pretty good season indeed."